2018-02-07T08:14:18-05:00

Divination can be a tricky business. It is a lifelong study that can take a lifetime to master. One of the things I am most proud of here on the Voodoo Universe blog is our Divination Space Station series. In it we profile top psychics, authors, and diviners who have graciously offered to share their knowledge with us. I’m excited to say that this time around we have the blessed opportunity to present an interview with psychic April Orry Riley. I first met April in connection with the Sleepy Hollow Psychic Fair and New Age Market. This is a great event and if you have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it. You will get to meet me, the fantastic psychic we are profiling this week, April Orry Riley, and many other amazing teachers and readers. In the following divination interview you will see our questions in bold face, and Riley’s answers will follow.

When did you start divining?

I have been divining since I was a child.  The first experience was at 5, and I began channeling spirit at the age of 9. Being raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, this was not accepted, and my mother took very drastic measures to rid me of my demons. I, in essence, shut my self down at about 14, and did not open up again until my 20’s. I was 23 when I started opening again, and have now been reading professionally for 5 years.

With what method?

My most often used method is The Good Tarot or the Fairy Tarot. I also use some Oracle decks, and channeling.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

I find that the choice or phrasing of the question in a reading may not make as much difference as in a magical working. Spirit is going to give you the message they want the client to have, no matter how they ask the question. However in a magickal working, I need to be able to understand exactly what they want, so that is where the phrasing is important.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

If it is a yes/no question, I tend to lean toward the pendulum. This type of diving does require a very specific phrasing of the question.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

For newcomers who want to being to divine, I recommend not forcing yourself to use a specific method “because that is what everyone says we need to do.” You don’t NEED to do anything that anyone tells you.  Just do what feels comfortable to you, and let spirit flow. I also recommend that you take Reiki, I found that after I received my Master in Reiki, spirit flowed more easily through me, and I could hear/see more clearly.

Are there any new projects you are developing?

I am currently working on develop a Women’s Empowerment series of classes focusing on using Magick, Astrology and Sensuality to become your most empowered and full self. I found that for me, these three things together, helped me to overcome the many childhood issues, because of the religion I was raised in, and become the empowered and strong woman that I am now. I continue my work with my sister as the Riley Sisters Spiritual Rescue to help people who need cleansings, banishings, or just someone to talk to as a spiritual coach.

If you would like to contact her, April Orry Riley can be found on Facebook as April Dawn Riley ; my business page: Riley Sisters Spiritual Rescue, and online at www. rileysistersspiritualrescue. com.

 

As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please remember to like, comment, and share.

2018-01-06T11:32:18-05:00

Skye Alexander photo by author. All rights reserved.
Skye Alexander photo by author. All rights reserved.

Last year I was excited to review Skye Alexander’s latest work The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot to see what mysteries it might hold. Skye Alexander has written a comprehensive and informative text to help you perform better readings with tarot cards. It is an honor to be able to interview her here as part of our Divination Space Station series, asking the important questions, and getting valuable answers. The bold faced questions are mine, the responses come directly from Skye Alexander herself.

When did you start divining?

I started studying astrology in the mid-1970s. Many people think of astrology only as a way to understand personality, but it’s also an extremely valuable tool for looking ahead to see what the future holds. Astrologers consider the movements of the heavenly bodies in relationship to a birthchart to determine what energies will influence a person at any given time and how those energies will likely play out. (You can also do this for a business, country, etc.) I find astrology to be the most accurate method of divination for timing events.

Around the same time, I also began working with the I Ching. This, in my opinion, is a wonderful tool for understanding our relationships to others. It’s also helpful for answering questions and providing guidance regarding problems or issues in everyday life. I always consult the I Ching when I need to make a decision, as well as for general insight.

Much later, in the mid-1990s, I took up the study of tarot. I love the beautiful imagery and how it speaks to the subconscious in such a rich language. I use the tarot to do readings, and draw a card every morning to guide me through the day. However, I don’t find the tarot to be as accurate as astrology for timing events, and I wouldn’t choose it if I wanted to know about something far off in the future. In addition, I use the tarot in spellworking. In my book The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot I discuss the individual meanings of the cards, how to do spreads, and offer ways to incorporate cards into spells.

Over the years I’ve worked with runes (both Norse and Ogham), the pendulum, numerology, and other systems for divination. All have value. All provide insight, guidance, and answers to questions both mundane and spiritual. All help us see inside ourselves and gain access to higher planes of knowledge.

Which method do you use most often now?

I still use all these systems, although I tend to use runes in spellcasting more than for divination.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?

In my experience, tarot cards and the I Ching will answer your real concern, regardless of what question you ask. For example, if you ask “How can I earn more money?” when your primary concern is wondering if you should leave your husband because you’re afraid you may not be able to support yourself, the cards will probably provide advice about your marriage.

When doing horary astrology, I think it’s important to carefully phrase the question in order to get an accurate answer. This is especially true when you want to know about something other people are also wondering about––you probably won’t get a good answer if thousands of people have already asked the same question. In this case, I recommend asking a question that has personal significance for you––the more immediate and important it is to you, the clearer the answer.

If I’m looking at planetary transits to a person’s birthchart, I don’t really need the person to tell me what s/he wants to know about––it will be evident in the chart.

Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?

The pendulum is an easy tool to use if you want a yes or no response, and it doesn’t take much practice to use. For me, if the pendulum swings side to side, the answer is no. If it swings back and forth, the answer is yes. If it moves in a circle, the situation is undecided or unclear at this time.

Here’s a quick and easy tarot method: Shuffle the cards, then lay out three side by side. If two are upright, the answer is yes, although there may still be room for development or the situation may still be in flux and could change. If all three are upright, the answer is a strong yes. If two cards are reversed the answer is no, although there may still be room for development or the situation may still be in flux and could change. If all three are reversed, the answer is a strong no. However, I’ve found that by changing your attitude or behavior, or taking certain actions, you may be able to change a predicted outcome.

Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?

Practice, practice, practice. Read everything you can, from a variety of authors to get different points of view. It may be helpful to take a few classes in the beginning, but many people, including me, are self-taught. When I started learning the tarot, I drew one card each morning and contemplated it, read about it, and noticed how its symbolism and general meaning related to my experiences that day. I also recommend keeping a journal so you can track your personal growth and see how accurate your divination is.

Trust your intuition as well as your intellect. I also suggest beginners start paying attention to so-called “coincidences” and synchronicities. I often find coins when I’m about to receive money. Animal sightings can provide information and guidance too. If you see an animal you might not ordinarily see, read about spirit animals and their meanings (my book The Secret Power of Spirit Animals covers this). Anything can be an oracle: flowers, shells, stones, words, music. How often have you heard a song that spoke to something you were just thinking about? Here’s a cool example. A woman I know took a wrong exit off the highway and got lost. Just as she was about to panic, she saw a truck with “Safeway” on it and realized she should follow it to find the safe way back to the highway.

Are there any new projects you are developing?

Skye Alexander photo. All rights reserved.
Skye Alexander photo. All rights reserved.

Find Your Goddess, my new book of goddess mythology, is due out in January. It includes myths and history about fifty goddesses from a variety of cultures (including Lilith), their attributes, and how to draw upon the wisdom of particular goddesses for assistance. I’ve just finished writing a mystery novel set in 1925 that features a tarot reader, an astrologer, and a number of other metaphysicians, titled What the Walls Know, and a memoir about the afterlife and my experiences communicating with my life partner who passed four years ago, titled Death Is a Revolving Door. Hope my agent can find a good publisher for both these new books!

If you would like to know more about Skye Alexander please see her website skyealexander.com And as always if you have enjoyed what you read here please do us a favor and share !

2017-12-20T08:29:00-05:00

Lady Parts Justice League Blessed Be patch photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Lady Parts Justice League Blessed Be patch photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.

What to get for that wicked, wild or weird witch in your life. There are so many choices. No value judgments here , because one witch’s trash is another’s treasure. If you want my list of crappy Yule gifts for Pagans you hate you can find it here. Stay tuned next year where I’m likely to present a list of diy lousy gifts including how to make your own fake turd out of toilet paper to hide on Kramppusnacht. But for now here is my curated list of wicked, wild, and weird witch gifts for the holidays or for all year round.

  • Blessed Be with Middle Finger Patch – I love this patch created by the Lady Parts Justice League. I wish I had purchased a dozen of these treasures when I met the representatives of the league this month at a Brooklyn event. The patch shows one of the costumed maidens from The Handmaid’s Tale, gives a customary blessings and kind of a curse gesture all at the same time. As written in their literature the Lady Parts Justice League ” is a coven of hilarious bad*ss feminists who use humor and pop culture to expose the haters fighting against reproductive rights.” Please consider making a donation…. and Applause ladies, serious applause. ! Nolite te bastardes carborundorum !
  • Wicked Witch Potato Head – This is one of the stranger things that made the list (unlike the actual TV show Stranger Things Ouija board my niece is getting for Yule which didn’t make the list at all.) This wicked witch gift potato head has got a green nose and even a little broom. I don’t have the permission to show the picture on the blog, but you can look at it, and even get one here.
  • Slutist Tarot – If you haven’t seen this deck already I suggest you get a look. Described as “A mystical celebration of sex positivity that centers femmes, sexual deviants, divine whores and curious maidens. Conceived and illustrated by Morgan Claire Sirene with graphic design by Sonia Ortiz.” I had seen great reviews of this new creation, and am always on the lookout for new and exciting decks, so when I had the chance to see this in person I was excited. I was not disappointed with its brilliant colors and powerful messages, Slutist Tarot  is one of my favorite new decks out there this year ! My absolute favorite card is the Purple Prince (artist formerly known as obviously.) They also have sex witch patches, don’t forget to stock up !
  • Funny Cat T shirt photo on Etsy. All rights reserved.
    Funny Cat T shirt photo on Etsy. All rights reserved.

    Pussy Licks Itself in a Pentagram Shirt – Wow. Just wow. For the person who has everything, I bet they don’t have this. You can get this My Big Black Hairy Pussy Licks Itself in a pentagram from the eyeronicTs shop on Etsy.

If you want to find some other really great witch gifts please check out this year’s list by Jason Mankey in his post Pagan Things Made by Pagans for Pagans. Grateful to say I made the list again this year with my etsy shop DeStressed Dreams. There you can get a reading or find you’re own witch gifts. As always if you have enjoyed what you read here remember to like, comment and please share. Have a delightful Yule and Blessed Be !

 

 

2017-10-20T09:06:44-05:00

Lucky for us it is the season of the witch. Tradition holds that the ancestors, and the other world is close and magick is happening. Personally I have always embraced the word witch, and it is a glorious thing to see others do the same. This Samhain season I am proud to announce I will be involved with two witch events in the NY area : The 4th Annual Sleepy Hollow Festival of Witches and the NYC Witches Masquerade Halloween Ball.

Sleepy Hollow Festival of Witches Psychic Fair

Festival of Witches photo courtesy of Krystal Madison. All rights reserved.
Festival of Witches photo courtesy of Krystal Madison. All rights reserved.

The 4th Annual Sleepy Hollow Festival of Witches Psychic Fair is an event not to be missed. Come to Where the Legends Live!

Join the Sleepy Hollow Witches for the 4th Annual Sleepy Hollow Psychic Fair & New Age Bazaar

Hosted by: Krystal Madison, the Witch of Sleepy Hollow & Festival of Witches

Hampton Inn White Plains/ Tarrytown
200 W. Main Street, Elmsford, NY.

Saturday, October 21 & Sunday, October 22, 2017

10 AM – 7 PM both days

GENERAL ADMISSION: $10
(Saturday or Sunday)

Includes: Access Into the Fair (Vendor area, Psychics Area, Raffle Entry)

I will be offering my Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism and Love Magic workshops. I will also be vending magickal items and offering readings. If you would like to book a private reading with me please schedule in advance here.

NYC Witches Halloween Ball

THE 12TH ANNUAL NYC WITCHES’ HALLOWEEN MASQUERADE BALL will take place at the Club Delancey
168 Delancey St.
(Between Clinton & Attorney Streets)
NYC

TUES. OCT. 31ST / 2017
From 8PM ‘til the Ghosts come home!

A Night for all Magickal Folk, Vamps, Faes, Faires, Nymphs, Satyrs all Welcomed…

Hosted by: Starr RavenHawk & Emcee Luna Roja
With Special Guests: Lady Rhea, Rhonda Choudhry, Krystal Madison & Lilith Dorsey.

FEATURING:
*** DJ /VJ XTINE & DJ IAN FFORD ***

PERFORMANCES by:
~ Night Gallery ~
~ WitchMaste ~
~ The Chemical Crew ~

~ MIDNIGHT SAMHAIN MASS RITUAL
~For The Lifting of the Veil & Dance of the Souls ~

~ COSTUME CONTEST ~~ RAFFLE ~NYC Best PSYCHICS ~

Black Cat image courtesy of pixabay. Licensed under CC 2.0
Black Cat image courtesy of pixabay. Licensed under CC 2.0

Get Your Witch on and Enjoy

I really hope to see some of you at these events. Take time to enjoy yourself while it is Samhain and the veil is thin. I posted on my FB page last year that I was tired of seeing people post that ” It’s Samhain and the vale is thin.” In case you missed it the problem is with the misspelling not the concept. Apparently one semi-famous witch didn’t get it and proceeded to witchsplain Samhain to me … hahaha. I thought it was more amusing to leave it, and my friends posted a bevy of comments like “I am so smart, I am so smart.”

As always if you have enjoyed what you and your witchy self find here remember to like, comment, and share !

 

2017-10-08T08:14:55-05:00

 Voodoo Universe posts photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Voodoo Universe posts photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.

Join me in celebrating 500 posts here on this blog Voodoo Universe. I have done my best to explore all the dark and deep corners of the Voodoo Universe for the truth and beauty of Afro-Diasporan religious traditions.

Food

Food is one of the simplest and also the most powerful ways we can honor and access our spirituality. Food is life, literally. These beliefs cause me to share some of my most treasured recipes here on this blog, and in my African-American Ritual Cookbook. Recently I’ve been combining my love of food and tarot with the Tarot Every Witch Way : Food video series. We livestream every Sunday night on my Facebook Page , but if you miss us you can catch up on the Youtube Channel. If you haven’t heard me ask before, here it is again. I would love to hear your favorite recipes relating to tarot and spirituality, what’s cooking with you ? Please share in the comments below.

 

Divination

From the very beginning of the blog Voodoo Universe I have done my best to include real life psychics and occult author interviews here. Our divination space station series has asked them the important question like how they got started, do they have a yes/no method they recommend, and more. Maybe you know some of these fantastic folks, maybe you would like to. Read them for yourself and don’t forget to share :

I’m always looking for new folks to interview, so please email me [email protected] if you are interested.

Hoodoo, Conjure, Voodoo, and Voudou

In the past decade or so many people’s attention has turned towards the world of Hoodoo and Conjure. Like most things these days the lines are getting blurred. In a move for clarity I created this infographic. Obviously things are more complex than can be explained in a simple and small picture, but hopefully it’s a start. I did an interview earlier this year where I explained the difference to my host and she replied “well then why doesn’t everyone self-initiate into Hoodoo. ” Nevertheless and ever the more, things are not as simple as that.

Vodou vs. Hoodoo infographic by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Vodou vs. Hoodoo infographic by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.

Love Magic

There have been many new developments here on this blog, and one of the ones I am most excited about it the recent publication of my book Love Magic. It wasn’t an easy book to write, and very often I get questions about ethics and responsibility. This is because people are conditioned to think real love magic is about control and loss of free will. From what  have seen and experienced nothing is farther from the truth. People who approach love with an open mind and an open heart are the ones who are the most successful. True love begins at home with self love, and gratitude for the love we cultivate in every aspect of our lives. The over 250 spells included in Love Magic cover all aspects of love.

The Dead

One of our mottoes here at Voodoo Universe is ancestors first, last, and always. It has always been part of our mission to help people connect with and give tribute to their beloved dead. Over the years we have had many posts focusing on the ancestors, please check out some of the ones you may have missed.

  • Plum Pork Roast Recipe for the Ancestors – The following is a harvest recipe, suitable for the fall, when we celebrate the fruits of our labor and the coming of the darkness. Plums are known to bring protection from the ancestors and also the answering of prayers.
  • Ancestor Poem Number 11 – Join us as we turn it up to 11 , like in Spinal Tap.
  • Easy Psychic Methods for Finding Unknown Ancestors – I had a teacher once tell me most people don’t even know the names of all 4 of their grandparents. She then proceeded to poll the class and prove she was right. Whatever the reason, most of us have ancestors whose names were lost in the seas of time. Here are some simple ways to find out more.

Thanks for reading everyone ! I couldn’t have done it without you, your likes, and your shares ! Here’s to the next 500 posts !

2017-09-27T08:17:39-05:00

Arthur Lipp-Bonewits photo. All rights reserved.
Arthur Lipp-Bonewits photo. All rights reserved.

There have been quite a few interviews here on Voodoo Universe, but this is the first time I can say I have interviewed both a parent, and a child. I have known Arthur Lipp-Bonewits since he was little, and it has been amazing to watch him grown up into the powerful adult he has become. You can find the interview I did with his mother at Divination Space Station : Deborah Lipp. The forward to my first book Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism was even written by Arthur’s Father Isaac Bonewits. I clearly have a serious fondness and great respect for this family. But enough about history, let’s move on to the future. Specifically telling the future, and my interview with Arthur Lipp-Bonewits.

When did you start divining? With what method?
I grew up watching my parents read tarot at Pagan festivals and psychic fairs. My dad in particular would read tarot outside a little new age shop in upstate New York and I’d watch him and learn from him. When I was 12 years old I scrawled some symbols related to astrology onto index cards and used that as my divination deck until I was 17, when I switched to tarot, which is still my primary method of divination along with astrology.

How important is the choice/phrasing of the question?
For me, I don’t often read tarot with a carefully-phrased question in mind. When I’m reading for clients, I’ll say to them, “So tell me a little bit about what’s been on your mind lately” while I shuffle. Then whatever comes up in the cards is what comes up in the cards. Most human beings are generally pretty bad at knowing exactly what we want, and what we want to ask, and the answers I get tend to go sideways or diagonally from how specific questions get asked when reading tarot. With horary astrology, which is divination by casting a chart for the moment the question is asked, it’s much more important to have a specific, carefully phrased question. But that’s largely to do with how many rules there are for horary charts. Unless I’m using that system, I’ll usually just phrase my question as “Tell me more about X situation.”
Do you have a yes/no method of divining you recommend?
Three-card tarot reading. All upright = strong yes. Majority upright = yes. Majority reversed = no. All reversed = strong no. The nature of the individual cards gives you more information as to the “why.”
Is there any advice you have for newcomers when using divination?
The best way to become a reader to do a bunch of readings. Start by reading for yourself, and then once you’ve got a bunch of stuff memorized, read for close friends and family members, even if you have to check the reference book partway through. The more readings you do, the better you get, especially if you’re reading for someone else. If you’re reading for yourself, talk to yourself out loud. And if you’re reading tarot, get Rachel Pollack’s book 78 Degrees of Wisdom. You don’t have to force yourself to try to figure out Waite’s Pictoral Key if you’re struggling with it like almost everyone does. Don’t feel married to the first deck you got, especially if it was a gift. It’s perfectly fine to pick a deck for yourself based on liking the artwork. And finally, be prepared for difficult emotions to come up in readings. Sometimes the person you’re reading for will start to cry and you’ll need to be ready to hold space for that. Good counseling skills are as much or more of being a good reader than knowing what the cards, planets, etc. mean.
Are there any new projects you are developing?
Nothing I can share publicly right now : )

Arthur Lipp-Bonewits is a tarot reader, astrologer, angel medium, and psychic living in Brooklyn, New York with a cactus named Greg and about a dozen archangels. You can find him online at arthurlippbonewits.com, on Instagram at @readingsbyarthur, and on Twitter at @simplyarthur.

As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please remember to share !

2021-08-26T15:55:40-05:00

Lilith Dorsey photo by Frances Denny. All rights reserved.
Lilith Dorsey photo by Frances Denny. All rights reserved.

There are exactly 493 posts on this blog, as the Lilith Dorsey Blogiversary approaches and I write this. When I started I wasn’t sure I could finish 100 posts, let alone almost 500. Please continue to send your comments, questions, likes, and shares … blogging is an uphill task most times, and I always appreciate your support. In addition, it seems to me a blogiversary is a good time to rant about things, rave about things, and answer any lingering questions.

What to do if you disagree with me ?

First, message me, email me, send a pigeon with a note, … contact me somehow. I recently got included in an online thread about “Beckys” who were culturally appropriating and disrespectful to the tradition. In a USA Today article they explain this term as”The name Becky has become a stand-in for a generic woman, generally white, who is familiar with sexual acts.” Based on William Makepeace Thackeray’s classic Vanity Fair, this is certainly not a nice name to call someone.

Fortunately, someone else contacted me personally and let me know what was happening, (otherwise I never would have been able to defend myself.) I explained in the thread who I was, what my training was, and that including Lilith Dorsey in a list of culturally appropriating Beckys was unnecessary. It didn’t go any further, but honestly I wonder if we don’t have better things to focus our attention on within the community. If this person had a question, I would hope they find a way to contact me before opening things up to public social media. There is a lot of misinformation out there. It’s the internet – duh. We must be mindful of sources, and do our best to find out what is really going on.

Why did you choose the name Lilith?

I didn’t my parents named me Lilith. If there an issue take it up with them. But one is dead, and the other just had an argument with my niece about the origins of Harley Quinn, so good luck talking to them. Given the chance I probably wouldn’t name someone this, but what’s done is done. But since I’m on the topic, I’m a little offended by the reaction to my name. The goddess Lilith has been demonized for centuries. Like most things feminine she was falsely represented, and aligned with negativity. Fear and ignorance about herstory only help to increase the problems. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes –

The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.
― George Orwell

The legacy of Lilith is powerful, and something we can and should be proud of to learn more about. Therefore please see my post – Lilith the Dark Goddess of our Dreams.

What’s Next?

Festival of Witches photo courtesy of Krystal Madison. All rights reserved.
Festival of Witches photo courtesy of Krystal Madison. All rights reserved.

There have been many amazing events so far this year. Fortunately I’m blessed to be taking part in many more exciting events this fall. Firstly, Please come out and find me at NYC Pagan Pride on Saturday, September 30th in Battery Park. I will be giving a workshop. And I am also proud to officially announce that we will be doing a ritual .

I’m also excited and honored to be part of this year’s 4th Annual Festival of Witches in Sleepy Hollow, NY. The event takes place on October 21st and 22nd, 2017. Please go to www.festivalofwitches.com to purchase tickets and schedule readings.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

I know a lot of my readers gain benefit and knowledge from this blog. I would like to be bold for a minute and ask for some help. The world runs on social media these days so if you have a second please take the time to celebrate the Lilith Dorsey Blogiversary and follow me on youtube, twitter, instagram, and facebook. Give me a thumbs up, a heart, or a hand, I am sincerely thankful for this. If you can buy me a cup of coffee, I could really use it. This little black chick is fueled by caffeine and spiritual fortitude and that’s not cheap. Many thanks.

How do you get in touch ?

People looking to contact me (Lilith Dorsey) for:

-Psychic Readings

-Magick Spells

-Booking Events

-Scheduling interviews ( about me or if you want to be featured on the blog)

Please email me at [email protected] and check out the new website www.lilithdorsey.com

As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please remember to like, comment, and share !

 


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